Prince Charming
by Justice65
Summary: Collette is a chorus girl who sings at a very small theatre, she earns extra money washing laundry and sends everything she makes to her family at home. She bears the brunt of many harsh comments and doesn't know how much more she can take. But everything changes when the new musical director, a man named Erik, comes to the theatre... (I'm not great at summaries, sorry)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

The door to the St. Vitus theatre opened with a loud _creak. _It quickly slammed shut as a soaking man dressed entirely in black entered the foyer.

The man was odd to say the least. He wore black dress pants and a black vest over a white dress shirt. His brown hair was slicked back and, most peculiar of all; he wore a porcelain mask which covered half of his face.

He took his dripping traveling cloak off his back, grumbling to himself about the rain.

_That fool was supposed to meet me at the train station two hours ago! _He thought. The director of the theatre had told him that one of the set designers, a man named Andre, would pick him up at the train station, but he had never come. As a result, he had taken a taxi to the theatre.

"Oof!" He felt a much smaller being collide with him. He looked down and saw a young woman; lying on the floor in a heap of blonde locks and skirts.

"I'm sorry" said the woman standing up. "No, I'm sorry." He replied, helping her to stand.

She gasped when she saw his face, "oh no!" She sighed, "You're Erik Destler, aren't you?" She asked "our new musical director?"

"…Yes, that's right." Erik replied, "Wasn't a fellow named Andre supposed to meet me at the train station?"

"I am so sorry about that!" Said the woman, very apologetically, "Andre had a really bad hangover; he crashed his Mercedes halfway there! –He's fine though. We just finished patching him up, so I was going to fetch you- I'm so sorry!"

"Oh, that's alright." said Erik, not wishing to upset this woman any further.

"Well, Monsieur LeBlanc is upstairs, if you'll just follow me."

"Thank you" replied Erik, "and, I don't believe you told me your name?"

"Oh, my name…My name is Collette Bordeaux. Welcome to St. Vitus." She replied nervously. "This way!" She skittered down the hallway. Erik suppressed chuckle, _what a peculiar young woman. _He thought, briskly walking after her.

…

Erik glanced around the small theatre; it was no Opera Populaire, but it was nice all the same. The hardwood stage sat, slightly ajar, at the front of the room. Many rows of chairs, all with blue cushions, sat at various intervals moving toward the back of the theatre. Two boxed seats sat squarely near the stage, Box 4 and, _Box 6? _He thought. He sighed, almost laughing; the 'Phantom of the Opera' had claimed Box 5 for his own personal use, so having a Box Five was considered to be tempting fate by many local theatres.

_Well, _he thought to himself solemnly, _I won't try that stunt again. _Just look how it had turned out for him…

"Ahem" muttered Collette, "Monsieur LeBlanc is…"

"COLLETTE!" Shrieked a feminine voice from down the hall, causing Collette (and Erik to a lesser extent) to jump with surprise.

"Oh!" Exclaimed Collette, "yes, Myrla?"

A skinny, pale woman wearing a silk brown dressing gown strutted down the hallway; "Collette, you lazy piece of work! Didn't I tell you this morning to wash my laundry?"

Collette stared at her very tattered pair of shoes, "I'm sorry Myrla, I was busy. I'll have it finished by lunch tomorrow…"

"You had better!" She shrieked. She then stared at Erik, "now, who are you?"

"My name is Erik Destler Mademoiselle…" he replied.

"Oh yes, our new musical director" replied Myrla irritably. "I hope you're as good as Jean was and not like that drunken dunce we had last time!"

"Antoine…" muttered Collette,

"Antoine, Anthony… what does it matter?!" She threw up her hands in exasperation, "chorus girls, am I right?" Said Myrla to Erik, she then turned on her heel and stalked off.

"That's Myrla Augustine; our leading lady." Said Collette

Erik gave her a funny look; "that…_shrill _woman is your leading lady?"

Collette laughed, "We keep telling her that she shouldn't scream as much or she'll lose her voice, but she won't listen."

"And why did she want you to do her laundry?"

"Oh, I'm just a chorus girl, so I don't make too much money; but I make an extra few coins here and there doing people's laundry, and dusting and such." She self-consciously kneaded her hands; Erik could see that they were very rough. "I have a big family to support you see; ten brothers and sisters, and a mother who is very much still with us."

"_Ten?" _Asked Erik,

"Ten" said Collette with a nod. "Monsieur LeBlanc's office is through here, good luck!"

"Thank-"but before he could turn to thank her, she had rushed off.

…

He knocked three times on the door. "Enter!" Replied a voice from inside, Erik opened the door and stepped inside.

"Monsieur Destler?" He asked, looking him up and down,

"Yes" replied Erik.

"You looked a drowned cat, man!" Said LeBlanc, laughing heartily, "hang up your cloak and sit down." He gestured to a rather uncomfortable-looking wooden chair sitting in front of his desk.

"My name is Daniel LeBlanc, welcome to the St. Vitus theatre." LeBlanc stared at him quizzically for a moment, "why do you wear that mask?" He asked,

"Surgery" replied Erik, one of the only lies he had rehearsed for that night.

"Ah" replied LeBlanc "do you have any experience with the Opera?"

"…I've given Opera singers voice lessons." Replied Erik,

"New talent, I like it." Said Daniel, "all the same, it doesn't pay the theatre's bills… maybe I should start you off on a trial basis?"

"Alright" replied Erik,

"I'll give you a month; after that I'll decide whether or not to let you keep your position. Does that sound fair?"

"Fair enough" replied Erik.

"Well, it's settled then." Daniel and Erik shook hands "the musical is Beauty and the Beast."

This innocent comment had a sting in the tail for Erik. "I suppose you'll be staying in Antoine's old quarters… all the way down at the end of the hall, and to the left."

"Thank you" replied Erik, "good night."

He exited the room, and walked down the hall towards what was to be his room. He opened the door, and was immediately enveloped by the smell of stale alcohol. He coughed several times and looked around, _what a dump! _He thought. The room was small and dark, bottles of beer and gin, many broken, littered the floor. The bed was sizeable and had dark red sheets though it didn't look particularly comfortable. _I suppose Myrla did call Antoine a drunken dunce…_

He opened the window to let some of the stench out; the fact that lilacs were growing under the window sill helped a bit. He sat on the bed and looked around, suddenly his ears perked up. Somebody outside was singing. He stared out the window; it was Collette, hanging laundry singing to herself absentmindedly.

_"Yes, I made the choice_

_For papa, I will stay_

_But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way_

_You monster!_

_If you think that what you've done is right, well then_

_You're a fool!_

_Think again!_

_Is this home?_

_Is this where I should learn to be happy?_

_Never dreamed_

_That a home could be dark and cold_

_I was told_

_Ev'ry day in my childhood:_

_Even when you grow old_

_Home should be where the heart is_

_Never where words so true!_

_My heart's far, far away_

_Home is too_

_Is this home_

_Is this what I must learn to believe in_

_Try to find_

_Something good in this tragic place_

_Just in case_

_I should stay here forever_

_Held in this empty place_

_Oh, but that won't be easy_

_I know the reason why_

_My heart's far, far away_

_Home's a lie_

_What I'd give to return_

_To the life that I knew lately_

_But I know that I can't_

_Solve my problems going back_

_Is this home?_

_Am I here for a day or forever?_

_Shut away_

_From the world until who knows when_

_Oh, but then_

_As my life has been altered once_

_It can change again_

_Build higher walls around me_

_Change ev'ry lock and key_

_Nothing lasts, nothing holds_

_All of me_

_My heart's far, far away_

_Home and free!"_

_She has a lovely voice, _he thought to himself. She turned in his direction, glanced at him, and dropped her laundry with surprise!

"Oh dear…" sighed Collette, looking at the pile of now soiled laundry.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you…" Said Erik apologetically

"It's alright…" Said Collette, pinning up the laundry hastily, "this is my own laundry anyway; I've finished Myrla's." She suddenly wrinkled her nose; clearly she could smell the alcohol.

"That's the room, not me" said Erik.

"Oh right, Antoine." Said Collette, "well, I'm going off to bed. Goodnight Monsieur Destler!"

"Goodnight!" Replied Erik, still thinking about her singing.

…

Erik woke up the next morning to a terrible ruckus; he shoved his way through the crowd of actors, picking up little bits of their conversations as he went.

"She finally did it!"

"…lost her voice!"

"Three days before opening night!"

"I knew this would happen!"

Sitting in the middle of it all was Myrla, clutching her throat and croaking in a very pathetic fashion. Daniel walked over to him, "there you are Erik!" Exclaimed Daniel, looking very flustered.

"What's the matter?" Asked Erik,

"Myrla's lost her voice! She plays Belle in this production, and she can't sing at all!"

"Don't you have an understudy?"

"We did, but she quit two weeks ago after she got married!"

_How convenient… _thought Erik,

"What should we do?!" Shouted one actor through the crowd.

Erik thought for a moment "Collette!" He shouted.

The crowd immediately silenced. Collette could feel dozens of pairs of eyes staring at her,

"Collette, you know the music…" Began Erik

"You heard me sing one song!" Retorted Collette,

"Do you know the rest of the music?" Asked Erik,

Collette stood timidly before them. "Yes" she said, very quietly, "but I don't know if I can…"

He glanced at Daniel, who nodded with uncertain approval. "Try." Replied Erik,

Collette nodded, and shakily stepped onstage. Daniel paged through the musical score, "start here" he said, to both Erik and Collette. He pointed at a piece titled _Home. _

Erik gave Collette an encouraging smile and began to play.

_"Yes, I made the choice_

_For papa, I will stay_

_But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way…"_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Erik sat at the piano, watching intently from a small platform as Collette moved about the stage, dressed in a blue gown, performing as Belle for the first time after three grueling days of rehearsal. "You monster!" She cried in the direction the beast had just exited from.

_If you think that what you've done is right, well then_

_Think again!_

_You're a fool!_

_This is home?_

Erik almost cringed; she had messed up the words. _Well, at least she didn't make the beginner's mistake of stopping when she did. _He thought, and continued to play.

_Is this where I should learn to be happy?_

_Never dreamed_

_That a home could be dark and cold_

_Dark and cold. _Thought Erik, he felt the sharp sting of regret creeping into the back of his throat. He began to think of another young soprano he had once known, and loved. _Christine…_

_My heart's far, far away_

_Home is too_

_Is this home_

_Is this what I must learn to believe in_

_Try to find_

_Something good in this tragic place_

_Just in case_

_I should stay here forever_

_Held in this empty place_

_Christine Daae, _he thought. A day had never passed when he hadn't thought of her; in an idle thought, a bout of sorrow, or on those many, cold nights where he slept alone in the small, dark hole he called home. But now, watching Collette Bordeaux singing a passionate song about home, he was instantly filled with a sadness he hadn't felt for many years.

_Home's a lie_

_What I'd give to return_

_To the life that I knew lately_

_But I know that I can't_

_Solve my problems going back_

_Stop it, Erik! _ He thought, clenching his jaw. _Christine is gone; she chose that fop Raoul over you, it's over! And even if she wanted to come back to you, you'll never see her again! _That was true; even if Christine had wanted to see him it was impossible now. She had died in a house fire many years earlier; her love had died with her.

_Is this home?_

_Am I here for a day or forever?_

_Shut away_

_From the world until who knows when?_

_Focus Erik, _he thought, bringing his hands back into the smooth rhythm they had had before. _And, step, _he thought as Collette took a step forward, turning towards the spotlight for the final few measures of the song.

_Nothing lasts, nothing holds_

_All of me_

_My heart's far, far away_

_Home and free!"_

Collette turned her face heavenward as she hit her final note. A hushed silence fell over the theatre for a moment, and the audience burst into applause. _Good, Collette, _thought Erik, turning in his sheet music to the next song.

…

The company had gathered onstage one more to sing the finale as the newly transformed Beast and Belle danced together onstage.

_Tale as old as time,_

_Song as old as rhyme,_

_Beauty and the beast!_

The audience stood and cheered as the cast stepped forward one at a time to take a bow, Collette received the loudest applause of all. The cast then stepped back as the curtain closed. The audience erupted into excited chatter. Erik heard much of it as he gathered his music.

"That was great!" said one man in the front row.

"I enjoyed it very much!" said a woman. "The candelabrum was very funny!"

"What about that woman, Collette Bordeaux who played Belle today?"

"Well, she's no Myrla Augustine but she does have a nice voice all the same."

Erik departed from the piano and walked down the hallways of the theatre, making sure not to catch the eyes of any audience members as they left the theatre. He could hear a woman's voice from down the hall,

"I'll bet you enjoyed that, didn't you Collette?"

_Oh no, _thought Erik, knowing exactly who it was. She had been tailing him for the past three days, trying to convince him not to let Collette perform as Belle. His response had always been the same; "that's Monsieur LeBlanc's decision, not mine."

"Why, yes I did Myrla, thank you very much." Replied Collette good naturedly.

"Well, enjoy it while you can" said Myrla, still with a slight croak in her voice, "soon, I'll have my voice back, and you'll go back to being a stinking, little, chorus girl."

"I happen to enjoy being in the chorus as well, Myrla-"

"Worthless!" Spat Myrla, "that's what you are, Collette Bordeaux, and that's all you'll ever be!"

"Myrla!" Snapped Erik. The two women, who had not realized he was there, looked up at him. "Leave the girl alone." He said evenly. Myrla gave the two of them a disgusted look, turned on one heel, and left.

"Thanks Erik" said Collette.

"You're welcome; has she always been this nasty?" Asked Erik,

"No, usually she's worse!" Replied Collette, sighing; he couldn't tell if it was a sigh of relief or a contented sigh. "How did I do on my first night?"

"You sang beautifully Collette." He replied,

Collette smiled, pleased with that answer. "I just wish my mother had been here to see it." She waved her right hand at him, "goodnight Erik, and thank you!" She opened the door to her room and a piece of paper was taped to the other side. The word "WHORE" was stamped on it in red letters. She sighed, "Myrla, Myrla, Myrla…" she muttered. She realized that Erik was watching, "she just loves to be cruel to me." She pulled the paper down and rolled it up. "Well, goodnight Erik" she sighed, stepping inside and shutting the door.

_Someone needs to teach that woman some manners! _Thought Erik, staring at Myrla's door; "well, I suppose old habits die hard!" Muttered Erik.


End file.
